HUGE MLL SIX TEAM TRADE!

[jmplax31]

...also known as "expansion draft number two." Obviously much of this was to appease player that wanted to play close to home. Really changes the whole face of the league. Should be interesting.

http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/?id=3739

[timbosky]

Tough for Rochester fans---losing Casey and then Ryan in a week's time. Fortunately my allegiance was already shifted when the Machine arrived in my hometown! But what a bummer for Rattler fans---hope they fill the new stadium anyway.

[HdGLaxWarrior]

Wow, this stinks for Baltimore fans.

[Farny]

Haha, did anyone else catch that? Two seconds ago it said "Reigning rookie of the year ATTACKMAN Brodie Merrill".

They just changed it. Heh.

[Farny]

At least Baltimore has picks 2, 4, and 5.

[jmplax31]

Tough for Rochester fans---losing Casey and then Ryan in a week's time. Fortunately my allegiance was already shifted when the Machine arrived in my hometown! But what a bummer for Rattler fans---hope they fill the new stadium anyway.

As good as they are the powell's have always been so flakey about pro lacrosse. It not that big of a lose. From a marketing stand point Grant rules Rochester and the rest of the team can pick up some of the scoring slack. Nice to see Merrill! I love the way he plays!

[shiftylax]

Bushleague. This has to be a result of certain players opting out of playing in the league this year (not just Casey). I'm not happy about this, it just shows how much control the players have over where they play.

[temporary1357]

The joys of single-entity.

[jmplax31]

Bushleague. This has to be a result of certain players opting out of playing in the league this year (not just Casey). I'm not happy about this, it just shows how much control the players have over where they play.

I have to agree. I don't think its good when player have this much control. But I'll take the slightly more optimistic rout and instead of saying "Bushleague", I'll call it "Growing Pains"

[Irishlax22]

I would be so pissed if i was ryan powell. :angry:

[shiftylax]

What's the point of even having a draft? Is there even a salary cap in the MLL? What's to prevent the higher market teams from succumbing to the demands of the all star calibre players? It's clear that the GM's are at the mercy of the owners - why else would more than half of the league's coaches consist of ex-players? (Please don't give me the "theyre used to the MLL game" excuse). Now players are bolting not just their teams but the league in general? If it's not over money its over a grudge and either way its not the sign of a growing league - its the starving snake eating it's own tail. This had better e one hell of a year for the MLL. Subpar action is not going to satisfy the average joe, much less hardccore fan of the game.

[fenwicklax89]

what the heck. chicago should have kept the first round draft pick

[Bayhawk]

Wow, this stinks for Baltimore fans.

what a rudderless ship... :thumbsdow

[Sharkslax06]

Exactly, this is a bs move by the MLL.. The problem is they don't pay these players enough to pick up their lives and move where they are drafted and travel takes a lot out of you especially every weekend during the summer. And this isn't necessarily the leagues fault.. It has to do with revenue and popularity as well. The franchises can't and will never make the revenue necessary to pay these players enough to live on year 'round. I run a post collegiate lacrosse team and several of my players are leaving this next week for MLL training camp one of which is working in the office for the LA Riptide as well as playing. He offered to give us a Coors light sponsored party and VIP treatment in exchange for 15 season tickets.. I have 33 guys on my roster.. Only 3 of us bought season tickets.. and these are guys that are from the east coast, all or post collegiate and 90% played D1 ball and they aren't even supporting the sport.. If life long players aren't supporting lacrosse, who is? Its no wonder the league had to do this.. In case anyone was wondering, we were getting the season tickets including 6 regular season games, 2 final 4 games, and the championship game for $260 per seat.. Thats really nothing in comparison to other sports.. I couldn't even get decent seats to ONE NFL game for that.. plus parking, food, etc.. easily double that.. break that down per game percentage wise and you can see why the MLL can't support itself and why it can't pay the players to play where they are drafted.

[RichfromBoston]

What Baltimore did was tear down one of the greatest lax teams ever in a 4 week span
Getting rid of Gary Gait, Mikey Powell and Brodie Merrill is like somebody buying the New England Patriots and getting rid of Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi and Belichick

Why Bodie Merrill,? he has to be one of the three best players in the world right now with his size versitility and athleticism

Who is going to be the top playersd drafted this year anyway?

[Eclipse]

I like how denver came out on this trade

[dt315]

irish lax - actually ryan powell loves the trade

[groundballs1111]

Sharks, you hit it right on the head. Everyone in lacrosse brags about how the sport is growing and they complain about how little national coverage we are getting. At the end of the day, these same people don't show up to the games. John Jiloty wrote about this in Inside Lacrosse a couple of months back and in a letter to the editor a "lacrosse enthusiasts" completely proved his exact point.

Lacrosse people are rarely "fans" of the game. They like players and schools but they are more likely to pick up a stick and play in a weekend club game than to drop $25 to watch the world's best go head-to-head. Not sure this is the case for the NBA, NHL or NFL. That's not to say the MLL is quite this level in national exposure, but the comparison can be made when discussing players at the highest level of their sport.

You are 100% correct that lacrosse will never reach the goal of paying full-time salaries to their athletes if the lacrosse enthusiasts do not even support them. It starts with this group to support the sport before it can reach to the casual sports fan.

Some teams sell tickets for as little at $70 for a season ticket (6 games). I went to an NBA game the other night and sat in the nose-bleed seats for $50/ticket. I didn't get to shake hands with the players after the game or sit so close that I HAD to pay attention to the game for fear of getting hit by a shot off the pipe. This is what we get with this league and lacrosse people aren't supporting it!

I am sure many people have their reasons for their missing games, but remember we waited a long time for a professional field lacrosse league. If we keep taking it for granted we might never get the chance to see it again. Buy your tickets and support this great game. It will only open doors for the sport as a whole.

[NickMB17]

Tough for Rochester fans---losing Casey and then Ryan in a week's time. Fortunately my allegiance was already shifted when the Machine arrived in my hometown! But what a bummer for Rattler fans---hope they fill the new stadium anyway.

Not so fast now. The #1 draft pick means bring back Joe Walters to his hometown! :thumbsup:

[dougm]

nll fans know all about who has leverage. players get moved all the time based on their job committments, family issues and commuting concerns. for the most part, the nll trades have become more equitable as the sad sack teams are now gone and few teams are trading a quality player for a bucket of balls. the mll had the first signs of trade where i want to live last year when the champion philly barrage were forced into a slew of trades through player demands. the nationwide expansion of the mll is going to create a slew of player issues that any of nll fans could had warned you about. the players have to be on board for this. alot of these trades that happened last night look to be about that although the bayhawk exodus of quality players looks far more serious than that. even though the upcoming nll summer field league will create an opportunity for players to choose btwn operators, the players won't see that much difference in pay but a difference in the vision of the sport and where they will place their bets on which horse will win.
player defections forced the mill operation to merge w/ the nll operators in the summer of 1997. my own sense is that we are beginning to see history repeat itself.

[Jblaxgoalie]

so is there any obvious number 1 pick this year in the draft like the past. I dont follow college that much (even though i wish i did) and i want to make sure my rattlers are getting some good rookies this year.

[Aussie_kid]

where did Casey Powell go?

[NickMB17]

Not so fast now. The #1 draft pick means bring back Joe Walters to his hometown! :thumbsup:

If no one will quote my genius I'll just have to do it myself :sad:

Yes NickMB17 you make an excellent point. :agree:

[WHEELAX2]

where did Casey Powell go?


not playing..



here's an interesting quote::

Gage said the departing players all requested trades to the West Coast and "informed us that they would not play in Rochester under any circumstances."

[jedimasterPIMP]

I don't really get what prompted this whole deal, but I kind of have the feeling it was some kind of media stunt. The largest trade in sports history just happens to take place in the MLL which has all of 10 teams? It seems a bit wierd to me.

[Aussie_kid]

so CP just decided he cant be stuffed playing MLL?

[aussielax]

so CP just decided he cant be stuffed playing MLL?

His reason was he wanted to dedicate all his time to preperation for the US national team for the worlds.

[dougm]

national expansion was going to wreak more havoc on the rosters than any expansion draft. players now have the ammo to play where they live.